My Father's Not the President

WHEN YOU GIVE UP, by Gayle D. Erwin

Have you ever said, "I give up. I can't do it."? Most
everyone, at some point in their life, spouts that statement.
Usually it results from despair and failure, which actually
is not a bad starting point.

So, what's the secret of changing directions and finding
success? Let me share two biblical principles of phenomenal
grace. First, when Jacob landed in his famous moment, away
from his family and wealth and awaiting death at the hand of
Esau, an angel (obviously a pre-fleshly appearance of Jesus)
appeared and challenged him to a wrestling match. In spite of
this strange encounter, Jacob, ever the competitor, took him
on, and on, and on.

After a night of fight, a draw was the best he could achieve.
No victory. Then, Jacob, recognizing who his opponent was,
did the smartest thing available to him--he gave up. "You
must not leave here until you bless me." You miss this moment
if you don't understand contests in that ancient world. Then,
since the winner was the stronger, he gave a gift to the
loser. Gift-giving was a show of strength! So, then, if you
had a case filled with trophies, you would merely show how
often you lost.

When Jacob demanded to be blessed, he was calling himself the
loser. God's response? You get a new name, Israel, because
you wrestled with God and won. Whoa! He just gave up. How
could he win? Ah, that is where the secret kicks in. When you
want to win with God, give up. So, examine your wrestling.
What wears you out? Could you be wrestling with God? Then
give up and ask him to bless you!

Second, Paul reveals the most glorious provision for us in
2 Corinthians 3:17,18: "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where
the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with
unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being
transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory,
which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." NIV

Here we are offered the opportunity to become God's problem
rather than our own. This is the process: We rip the veil off
by believing in Jesus, thus exposing ourselves (face to face)
to God. This could also be called immediate confession of sin
or need. Then God shines His glory (mercy, grace, compassion,
forgiveness; see The Father Style) on us and He transforms
us. Please note that "are being transformed" means that it is
an on-going process happening as often as needed and
happening to us. We are not doing it, God is.
Furthermore, not mere transformation, but "into His
likeness." So, if I keep my state of being instantly before
him, I become God's problem which He accepts and does the
changing. Whoopee!

Very Interesting...

On a church bulletin board: “God does not believe in atheists; therefore atheists do not exist.”

Spurgeon on waiting...

Exodus 14:13: Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.

These words contain God's command to the believer when he is reduced to great straits and brought into extraordinary difficulties. He cannot retreat; he cannot go forward; he is shut up on the right hand and on the left; what is he now to do? The Master's word to him is, "Stand still." It will be well for him if at such times he listens only to his Master's word, for other and evil advisers come with their suggestions. Despair whispers, "Lie down and die; give it all up." But God would have us put on a cheerful courage, and even in our worst times, rejoice in His love and faithfulness. Cowardice says, "Retreat; go back to the worldling's way of action; you cannot play the Christian's part, it is too difficult. Relinquish your principles." But, however much Satan may urge this course upon you, you cannot follow it if you are a child of God. His divine fiat has bid thee go from strength to strength, and so thou shalt, and neither death nor hell shall turn thee from thy course. What, if for a while thou art called to stand still, yet this is but to renew thy strength for some greater advance in due time. Precipitancy cries, "do something. Stir yourself; to stand still and wait, is sheer idleness." We must be doing something at once-we must do it so we think-instead of looking to the Lord, who will not only do something but will do everything. Presumption boasts, "If the sea be before you, march into it and expect a miracle." But Faith listens neither to Presumption, nor to Despair, nor to Cowardice, nor to Precipitancy, but it hears God say, "Stand still," and immovable as a rock it stands. "Stand still";-keep the posture of an upright man, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the directing voice; and it will not be long ere God shall say to you, as distinctly as Moses said it to the people of Israel, "Go forward."

How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?

Charismatic: Only 1, Hands are already in the air.

Pentecostal: 10, One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.

Presbyterians: None, Lights will go on and off at predestined times.

Roman Catholic: None - Candles only.

Baptists: At least 15 - One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken.

Episcopalians: 3 - One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks and one to talk about how much better the old one was.

Mormons: 5 - One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it.

Unitarians: We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, you are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, 3-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.

Methodists* : Undetermined - Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Bring a bulb of your choice to the Sunday lighting service and a covered dish to pass.

Nazarene: 6 - One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church lighting policy.

Lutherans: None - Lutherans don't believe in change.

Amish: What's a light bulb?

Government Farm Visit

A cocky Department of Agriculture representative stopped at a farm and talked with the old farmer; "I need to inspect your farm."

The old farmer said, "You better not go in that field."

The Agriculture representative said in a "wise" tone, "I have the authority of the U. S. Government with me. See this card, I am allowed to go wherever I wish on agricultural land."

So the old farmer went about his farm chores.

Later, the farmer heard loud screams and saw the Department of Agriculture man running for the fence; close behind was the farmer's prize bull. The bull was madder than a nest full of hornets, and the bull was gaining at every step.

"Help," the rep shouted to the farmer, "what should I do?" he screamed helplessly.

The old farmer, hooking his thumbs in his overalls, called out: "Show him your card!"

Spurgeon on my least favorite subject :(

1 Peter 5:10: After that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

You have seen the arch of heaven as it spans the plain: glorious are its colours, and rare its hues. It is beautiful, but, alas, it passes away, and lo, it is not. The fair colours give way to the fleecy clouds, and the sky is no longer brilliant with the tints of heaven. It is not established. How can it be? A glorious show made up of transitory sun-beams and passing rain-drops, how can it abide? The graces of the Christian character must not resemble the rainbow in its transitory beauty, but, on the contrary, must be stablished, settled, abiding. Seek, O believer, that every good thing you have may be an abiding thing. May your character not be a writing upon the sand, but an inscription upon the rock! May your faith be no "baseless fabric of a vision," but may it be builded of material able to endure that awful fire which shall consume the wood, hay, and stubble of the hypocrite. May you be rooted and grounded in love. May your convictions be deep, your love real, your desires earnest. May your whole life be so settled and established, that all the blasts of hell, and all the storms of earth shall never be able to remove you. But notice how this blessing of being "stablished in the faith" is gained. The apostle's words point us to suffering as the means employed-"After that ye have suffered awhile." It is of no use to hope that we shall be well rooted if no rough winds pass over us. Those old gnarlings on the root of the oak tree, and those strange twistings of the branches, all tell of the many storms that have swept over it, and they are also indicators of the depth into which the roots have forced their way. So the Christian is made strong, and firmly rooted by all the trials and storms of life. Shrink not then from the tempestuous winds of trial, but take comfort, believing that by their rough discipline God is fulfilling this benediction to you.

Spurgen on God's Promise

Numbers 11:23: Thou shalt see now whether My word shall come to pass unto thee or not.

God had made a positive promise to Moses that for the space of a whole month He would feed the vast host in the wilderness with flesh. Moses, being overtaken by a fit of unbelief, looks to the outward means, and is at a loss to know how the promise can be fulfilled. He looked to the creature instead of the Creator. But doth the Creator expect the creature to fulfil His promise for Him? No; He who makes the promise ever fulfils it by His own unaided omnipotence. If He speaks, it is done-done by Himself. His promises do not depend for their fulfillment upon the co-operation of the puny strength of man. We can at once perceive the mistake which Moses made. And yet how commonly we do the same! God has promised to supply our needs, and we look to the creature to do what God has promised to do; and then, because we perceive the creature to be weak and feeble, we indulge in unbelief. Why look we to that quarter at all? Will you look to the north pole to gather fruits ripened in the sun? Verily, you would act no more foolishly if ye did this than when you look to the weak for strength, and to the creature to do the Creator's work. Let us, then, put the question on the right footing. The ground of faith is not the sufficiency of the visible means for the performance of the promise, but the all-sufficiency of the invisible God, who will most surely do as He hath said. If after clearly seeing that the onus lies with the Lord and not with the creature, we dare to indulge in mistrust, the question of God comes home mightily to us: "Has the Lord's hand waxed short?" May it happen, too, in His mercy, that with the question there may flash upon our souls that blessed declaration, "Thou shalt see now whether My word shall come to pass unto thee or not."

Spurgeon on the 4th

Psalm 33:21: Our heart shall rejoice in Him.

Blessed is the fact that Christians can rejoice even in the deepest distress; although trouble may surround them, they still sing; and, like many birds, they sing best in their cages. The waves may roll over them, but their souls soon rise to the surface and see the light of God's countenance; they have a buoyancy about them which keeps their head always above the water, and helps them to sing amid the tempest, "God is with me still." To whom shall the glory be given? Oh! to Jesus-it is all by Jesus. Trouble does not necessarily bring consolation with it to the believer, but the presence of the Son of God in the fiery furnace with him fills his heart with joy. He is sick and suffering, but Jesus visits him and makes his bed for him. He is dying, and the cold chilly waters of Jordan are gathering about him up to the neck, but Jesus puts His arms around him, and cries, "Fear not, beloved; to die is to be blessed; the waters of death have their fountain-head in heaven; they are not bitter, they are sweet as nectar, for they flow from the throne of God." As the departing saint wades through the stream, and the billows gather around him, and heart and flesh fail him, the same voice sounds in his ears, "Fear not; I am with thee; be not dismayed; I am thy God." As he nears the borders of the infinite unknown, and is almost affrighted to enter the realm of shades, Jesus says, "Fear not, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Thus strengthened and consoled, the believer is not afraid to die; nay, he is even willing to depart, for since he has seen Jesus as the morning star, he longs to gaze upon Him as the sun in his strength. Truly, the presence of Jesus is all the heaven we desire. He is at once

"The glory of our brightest days;
The comfort of our nights."

Content

I have posted men on this site in the past who I didn't completely agree with. This was done because I agreed with what they were saying in a certain article or statement.

However, it is now coming to light that some of them had historical roots in the "Demon Possession of Christians Movement", "Shepherding Movement", the "New Age" (through the guise of the "Church Growth Movement) or "Evangelicals and Catholics Together". I cannot state in strong enough terms how much I disagree with these.

Henceforth,I am going to be very particular about what is posted here. I do apologize if what has been posted in the past led anyone to believe that I endorsed any of these teachings or movements.

No doubt some will be offended by my drawing a line in the sand and want to argue. However, I must stand for the truth as defined by the Word.

Okie Preacher